Charging Accessory Device for an Aerosol Delivery Device and Related System, Method, Apparatus, and Computer Program Product for Providing Interactive Services for Aerosol Delivery Devices

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to charging accessory device for the aerosol delivery device and related systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for providing interactive services for aerosol delivery devices. For example, a method may include a computing device establishing communication with a charging accessory device for an aerosol delivery device; receiving usage data for the aerosol delivery device provided by the charging accessory device; generating social data based on the usage data; and sending the social data to a social networking service including a community of aerosol delivery device users.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices such assmoking articles, and more particularly to a charging accessory devicefor the aerosol delivery device and related systems, methods,apparatuses, and computer program products for providing interactiveservices for aerosol delivery devices. The smoking articles may beconfigured to heat a material, which may be made or derived from tobaccoor otherwise incorporate tobacco, to form an inhalable substance forhuman consumption.

BACKGROUND

Many smoking devices have been proposed through the years asimprovements upon, or alternatives to, smoking products that requirecombusting tobacco for use. Many of those devices purportedly have beendesigned to provide the sensations associated with cigarette, cigar, orpipe smoking, but without delivering considerable quantities ofincomplete combustion and pyrolysis products that result from theburning of tobacco. To this end, there have been proposed numeroussmoking products, flavor generators, and medicinal inhalers that utilizeelectrical energy to vaporize or heat a volatile material, or attempt toprovide the sensations of cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking withoutburning tobacco to a significant degree. See, for example, the variousalternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices and heatgenerating sources set forth in the background art described in U.S.Pat. No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al., U.S. Pat. U.S. App. Pub. No.2013/0255702 to Griffith, Jr. et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/536,438 U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2014/0000638 to Sebastian et al.,U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/602,871, filed Sep. 4, 2012, andU.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/647,000, filed Oct. 8, 2012, whichare incorporated herein by reference.

While aerosol delivery devices continue to increase in popularity andsophistication, there continues to be a lack of interactive servicesavailable for aerosol delivery devices. Accordingly, it would bedesirable to provide aerosol delivery devices and users thereof withinteractive services that enhance the social aspects of using aerosoldelivery devices.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to a charging accessory device andrelated systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products forproviding interactive services for aerosol delivery devices. Forexample, in one aspect, a charging accessory device is provided. Thecharging accessory device may include a housing defining a receptacleconfigured to receive at least a portion of an aerosol delivery devicecomprising a battery. The charging accessory device may further includea power storage device and a charging interface configured to establishan electrical connection with the battery and to supply electrical powerfrom the power storage device to the battery to charge the battery. Thecharging accessory device may also include an aerosol delivery deviceinterface, which may be configured to enable communication between thecharging accessory device and a control component of the aerosoldelivery device. The charging accessory device may additionally includea communication interface. The charging accessory device may furtherinclude processing circuitry, which may be configured to control thecharging accessory device to at least access usage data for the aerosoldelivery device via the aerosol delivery device interface; and cause,via the communication interface, social data derived based at least inpart on the usage data to be provided to a social networking servicecomprising a community of aerosol delivery device users.

In another aspect, a system for providing interactive services foraerosol delivery devices is provided. The system may include at lest aportion of an aerosol delivery device, which may include a controlcomponent configured to maintain usage data for the aerosol deliverydevice; and a battery. The system may additionally include a computingdevice, which may be configured to access a network to communicate witha social networking service comprising a community of aerosol deliverydevice users. The system may further include a charging accessory deviceincluding a housing defining a receptacle configured to receive the atleast a portion of the aerosol delivery device and a power storagedevice. The charging accessory device may be configured to supply powerfrom the power storage device to charge the battery of the aerosoldelivery device and to communicate with the control component to accessthe usage data. The charging accessory device may further include acommunication interface, which may be configured to enable communicationbetween the charging accessory device and the computing device. Thecomputing device may be further configured to receive the usage datafrom the charging accessory device; generate social data based at leastin part on the usage data; and send the social data to the socialnetworking service.

In a further aspect, a method for providing interactive services foraerosol delivery devices is provided. The method may include a computingdevice establishing communication with a charging accessory device foran aerosol delivery device. The method may further include the computingdevice receiving usage data for the aerosol delivery device provided bythe charging accessory device. The method may additionally include thecomputing device generating social data based at least in part on theusage data; and sending the social data to a social networking servicecomprising a community of aerosol delivery device users.

In an additional aspect, a computing device comprising processingcircuitry is provided. The processing circuitry may be configured tocause the computing device to establish communication with a chargingaccessory device for an aerosol delivery device. The processingcircuitry may be further configured to cause the computing device toreceive usage data for the aerosol delivery device provided by thecharging accessory device. The processing circuitry may additionally beconfigured to cause the computing device to generate social data basedat least in part on the usage data; and to send the social data to asocial networking service comprising a community of aerosol deliverydevice users.

In a further aspect, a computer program product is provided, which mayinclude at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumhaving program instructions stored thereon. When executed by at leastone processor, the stored program instructions may cause the at leastone processor to perform a method comprising establishing communicationwith a charging accessory device for an aerosol delivery device;receiving usage data for the aerosol delivery device provided by thecharging accessory device; generating social data based at least in parton the usage data; and sending the social data to a social networkingservice comprising a community of aerosol delivery device users.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Having thus described the disclosure in the foregoing general terms,reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are notnecessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view through an electronic smoking articlecomprising a control body and a cartridge according to an exampleembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view through an electronic smoking articlecomprising a cartridge and a control body and including a reservoirhousing according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates a system including a charging accessory device forproviding interactive services for aerosol delivery devices inaccordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates an example housing of a charging accessory device inaccordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of an apparatus that may beimplemented on a charging accessory device in accordance with someexample embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of an apparatus that may beimplemented on a computing device configured to provide interactiveservices for an aerosol delivery device in accordance with some exampleembodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 illustrates a flowchart according to an example method that maybe performed by a charging accessory device to collect and provideaccess to usage data for an aerosol delivery device to a computingdevice for use in providing interactive services in accordance with someexample embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 illustrates a flowchart according to an example method forproviding social data generated based at least in part on aerosoldelivery device usage data provided by a charging accessory device to asocial networking service in accordance with some example embodiments ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 9 illustrates a flowchart according to an example method forproviding a software update for an aerosol delivery device to a chargingaccessory device in accordance with some example embodiments of thepresent disclosure; and

FIG. 10 illustrates a flowchart according to an example method that maybe performed by a charging accessory device to update a softwareconfiguration of an aerosol delivery device in accordance with someexample embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter withreference to exemplary embodiments thereof. These exemplary embodimentsare described so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, andwill fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in theart. Indeed, the disclosure may be embodied in many different forms andshould not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein;rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure willsatisfy applicable legal requirements. As used in the specification, andin the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, “the”, includeplural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Some example embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a chargingaccessory device for the aerosol delivery device and related systems,methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for providinginteractive services for aerosol delivery devices. Aerosol deliverydevices (e.g., smoking articles) that may be used with various exampleembodiments may, by way of non-limiting example, include so-called“e-cigarettes.” It should be understood that the mechanisms, components,features, and methods associated with such aerosol delivery devices maybe embodied in many different forms and associated with a variety ofarticles.

In this regard, the present disclosure provides descriptions of aerosoldelivery devices that use electrical energy to heat a material(preferably without combusting the material to any significant degree)to form an inhalable substance; such articles most preferably beingsufficiently compact to be considered “hand-held” devices. An aerosoldelivery device may provide some or all of the sensations (e.g.,inhalation and exhalation rituals, types of tastes or flavors,organoleptic effects, physical feel, use rituals, visual cues such asthose provided by visible aerosol, and the like) of smoking a cigarette,cigar, or pipe, without any substantial degree of combustion of anycomponent of that article or device. The aerosol delivery device may notproduce smoke in the sense of the aerosol resulting from by-products ofcombustion or pyrolysis of tobacco, but rather, that the article ordevice may yield vapors (including vapors within aerosols that can beconsidered to be visible aerosols that might be considered to bedescribed as smoke-like) resulting from volatilization or vaporizationof certain components of the article or device. In highly preferredembodiments, aerosol delivery devices may incorporate tobacco and/orcomponents derived from tobacco.

Aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure also can becharacterized as being vapor-producing articles, smoking articles, ormedicament delivery articles. Thus, such articles or devices can beadapted so as to provide one or more substances (e.g., flavors and/orpharmaceutical active ingredients) in an inhalable form or state. Forexample, inhalable substances can be substantially in the form of avapor (i.e., a substance that is in the gas phase at a temperature lowerthan its critical point). Alternatively, inhalable substances can be inthe form of an aerosol (i.e., a suspension of fine solid particles orliquid droplets in a gas). For purposes of simplicity, the term“aerosol” as used herein is meant to include vapors, gases and aerosolsof a form or type suitable for human inhalation, whether or not visible,and whether or not of a form that might be considered to be smoke-like.

In use, aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure may besubjected to many of the physical actions employed by an individual inusing a traditional type of smoking article (e.g., a cigarette, cigar orpipe that is employed by lighting and inhaling tobacco). For example,the user of an aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure canhold that article much like a traditional type of smoking article, drawon one end of that article for inhalation of aerosol produced by thatarticle, take puffs at selected intervals of time, etc.

Aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure generally include anumber of components provided within an outer body or shell. The overalldesign of the outer body or shell can vary, and the format orconfiguration of the outer body that can define the overall size andshape of the aerosol delivery device can vary. Typically, an elongatedbody resembling the shape of a cigarette or cigar can be a formed from asingle, unitary shell; or the elongated body can be formed of two ormore separable pieces. For example, an aerosol delivery device cancomprise an elongated shell or body that can be substantially tubular inshape and, as such, resemble the shape of a conventional cigarette orcigar. In one embodiment, all of the components of the aerosol deliverydevice are contained within one outer body or shell. Alternatively, anaerosol delivery device can comprise two or more shells that are joinedand are separable. For example, an aerosol delivery device can possessat one end a control body comprising an outer body or shell containingone or more reusable components (e.g., a rechargeable battery andvarious electronics for controlling the operation of that article), andat the other end and removably attached thereto an outer body or shellcontaining a disposable portion (e.g., a disposable flavor-containingcartridge). More specific formats, configurations and arrangements ofcomponents within the single shell type of unit or within a multi-pieceseparable shell type of unit will be evident in light of the furtherdisclosure provided herein. Additionally, various aerosol deliverydevice designs and component arrangements can be appreciated uponconsideration of the commercially available electronic aerosol deliverydevices, such as those representative products listed in the backgroundart section of the present disclosure.

Aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure most preferablycomprise some combination of a power source (i.e., an electrical powersource), at least one control component (e.g., means for actuating,controlling, regulating and ceasing power for heat generation, such asby controlling electrical current flow the power source to othercomponents of the article—e.g., a microcontroller), a heater or heatgeneration component (e.g., an electrical resistance heating element orcomponent commonly referred to as an “atomizer”), and an aerosolprecursor composition (e.g., commonly a liquid capable of yielding anaerosol upon application of sufficient heat, such as ingredientscommonly referred to as “smoke juice,” “e-liquid” and “e-juice”), and amouthend region or tip for allowing draw upon the aerosol deliverydevice for aerosol inhalation (e.g., a defined air flow path through thearticle such that aerosol generated can be withdrawn therefrom upondraw). Exemplary formulations for aerosol precursor materials that maybe used according to the present disclosure are described in U.S. Pat.Pub. No. 2013/0008457 to Zheng et al., the disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Alignment of the components within the aerosol delivery device can vary.In specific embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition can belocated near an end of the article (e.g., within a cartridge, which incertain circumstances can be replaceable and disposable), which may beproximal to the mouth of a user so as to maximize aerosol delivery tothe user. Other configurations, however, are not excluded. Generally,the heating element can be positioned sufficiently near the aerosolprecursor composition so that heat from the heating element canvolatilize the aerosol precursor (as well as one or more flavorants,medicaments, or the like that may likewise be provided for delivery to auser) and form an aerosol for delivery to the user. When the heatingelement heats the aerosol precursor composition, an aerosol is formed,released, or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by aconsumer. It should be noted that the foregoing terms are meant to beinterchangeable such that reference to release, releasing, releases, orreleased includes form or generate, forming or generating, forms orgenerates, and formed or generated. Specifically, an inhalable substanceis released in the form of a vapor or aerosol or mixture thereof.Additionally, the selection of various aerosol delivery devicecomponents can be appreciated upon consideration of the commerciallyavailable electronic aerosol delivery devices, such as thoserepresentative products listed in the background art section of thepresent disclosure.

An aerosol delivery device incorporates a battery or other electricalpower source to provide current flow sufficient to provide variousfunctionalities to the article, such as resistive heating, powering ofcontrol systems, powering of indicators, and the like. The power sourcecan take on various embodiments. Preferably, the power source is able todeliver sufficient power to rapidly heat the heating member to providefor aerosol formation and power the article through use for the desiredduration of time. The power source preferably is sized to fitconveniently within the aerosol delivery device so that the aerosoldelivery device can be easily handled; and additionally, a preferredpower source is of a sufficiently light weight to not detract from adesirable smoking experience.

One example embodiment of an aerosol delivery device 100 that may beused with various embodiments is provided in FIG. 1. As seen in thecross-section illustrated therein, the aerosol delivery device 100 cancomprise a control body 102 and a cartridge 104 that can be permanentlyor detachably aligned in a functioning relationship. Although a threadedengagement is illustrated in FIG. 1, it is understood that further meansof engagement may be employed, such as a press-fit engagement,interference fit, a magnetic engagement, or the like.

In specific embodiments, one or both of the control body 102 and thecartridge 104 may be referred to as being disposable or as beingreusable. For example, the control body may have a replaceable batteryor a rechargeable battery and thus may be combined with any type ofrecharging technology, including connection to a typical electricaloutlet, connection to a car charger (e.g., cigarette lighterreceptacle), and connection to a computer, such as through a universalserial bus (USB) cable. For example, an adaptor including a USBconnector at one end and a control body connector at an opposing end isdisclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/840,264, filed Mar. 15,2013, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. As afurther example, in some embodiments, the battery may be rechargedthrough interfacing of the aerosol delivery device 100 or portionthereof containing a battery (e.g., the control body 102) with anembodiment of the charging accessory device discussed further hereinbelow. It will be appreciated that embodiments including a rechargeablebattery may include any type of rechargeable battery, such as by way ofnon-limiting example, a lithium ion battery (e.g., a rechargeablelithium-manganese dioxide battery), lithium ion polymer battery,nickel-zinc battery, nickel-metal hydride battery, nickel cadmiumbattery, rechargeable alkaline battery, some combination thereof, and/orother type of rechargeable battery. Further, in some embodiments thecartridge may comprise a single-use cartridge, as disclosed in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/603,612, filed Sep. 5, 2012, which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In the exemplified embodiment, the control body 102 includes a controlcomponent 106 (e.g., a microcontroller), a flow sensor 108, and abattery 110, which can be variably aligned, and can include a pluralityof indicators 112 at a distal end 114 of an outer body 116. Theindicators 112 can be provided in varying numbers and can take ondifferent shapes and can even be an opening in the body (such as forrelease of sound when such indicators are present). In the exemplifiedembodiment, a haptic feedback component 101 is included with the controlcomponent 106. As such, the haptic feedback component may be integratedwith one or more components of a smoking article for providing vibrationor like tactile indication of use or status to a user. See, for example,the disclosure of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/946,309, filedJul. 19, 2013, which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

An air intake 118 may be positioned in the outer body 116 of the controlbody 102. A coupler 120 also is included at the proximal attachment end122 of the control body 102 and may extend into a control bodyprojection 124 to allow for ease of electrical connection with anatomizer or a component thereof, such as a resistive heating element(described below) when the cartridge 104 is attached to the controlbody. Although the air intake 118 is illustrated as being provided inthe outer body 116, in another embodiment the air intake may be providedin a coupler as described, for example, in U.S. patent application Ser.No. 13/841,233; Filed Mar. 15, 2013.

The cartridge 104 includes an outer body 126 with a mouth opening 128 ata mouthend 130 thereof to allow passage of air and entrained vapor(i.e., the components of the aerosol precursor composition in aninhalable form) from the cartridge to a consumer during draw on theaerosol delivery device 100. The aerosol delivery device 100 may besubstantially rod-like or substantially tubular shaped or substantiallycylindrically shaped in some embodiments. In other embodiments, furthershapes and dimensions are encompassed—e.g., a rectangular or triangularcross-section, or the like.

The cartridge 104 further includes an atomizer 132 comprising aresistive heating element 134 (e.g., a wire coil) configured to produceheat and a liquid transport element 136 (e.g., a wick) configured totransport a liquid. Various embodiments of materials configured toproduce heat when electrical current is applied therethrough may beemployed to form the resistive heating element 134. Example materialsfrom which the wire coil may be formed include Kanthal (FeCrAl),Nichrome, Molybdenum disilicide (MoSi₂), molybdenum silicide (MoSi),Molybdenum disilicide doped with Aluminum (Mo(Si,Al)₂), and ceramic(e.g., a positive temperature coefficient ceramic). Further to theabove, representative heating elements and materials for use therein aredescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,671 to Counts et al.; U.S. Pat. No.5,093,894 to Deevi et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,498 to Deevi et al.; U.S.Pat. No. 5,228,460 to Sprinkel Jr., et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,075 toDeevi et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,813 to Deevi et al.; U.S. Pat. No.5,468,936 to Deevi et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,850 to Das; U.S. Pat. No.5,659,656 to Das; U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,855 to Deevi et al.; U.S. Pat. No.5,530,225 to Hajaligol; U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,262 to Hajaligol; U.S. Pat.No. 5,573,692 to Das et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,368 to Fleischhaueret al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties.

Electrically conductive heater terminals 138 (e.g., positive andnegative terminals) at the opposing ends of the heating element 134 areconfigured to direct current flow through the heating element andconfigured for attachment to the appropriate wiring or circuit (notillustrated) to form an electrical connection of the heating elementwith the battery 110 when the cartridge 104 is connected to the controlbody 102. Specifically, a plug 140 may be positioned at a distalattachment end 142 of the cartridge 104. When the cartridge 104 isconnected to the control body 102, the plug 140 engages the coupler 120to form an electrical connection such that current controllably flowsfrom the battery 110, through the coupler and plug, and to the heatingelement 134. The outer body 126 of the cartridge 104 can continue acrossthe distal attachment end 142 such that this end of the cartridge issubstantially closed with the plug 140 protruding therefrom.

A liquid transport element can be combined with a reservoir to transportan aerosol precursor composition to an aerosolization zone. In theembodiment shown in FIG. 1, the cartridge 104 includes a reservoir layer144 comprising layers of nonwoven fibers formed into the shape of a tubeencircling the interior of the outer body 126 of the cartridge, in thisembodiment. An aerosol precursor composition is retained in thereservoir layer 144. Liquid components, for example, can be sorptivelyretained by the reservoir layer 144. The reservoir layer 144 is in fluidconnection with a liquid transport element 136. The liquid transportelement 136 transports the aerosol precursor composition stored in thereservoir layer 144 via capillary action to an aerosolization zone 146of the cartridge 104. As illustrated, the liquid transport element 136is in direct contact with the heating element 134 that is in the form ofa metal wire coil in this embodiment.

It is understood that an aerosol delivery device that can bemanufactured according to the present disclosure can encompass a varietyof combinations of components useful in forming an electronic aerosoldelivery device. Reference is made for example to the reservoir andheater system for controllable delivery of multiple aerosolizablematerials in an electronic smoking article disclosed in U.S. Pat. App.Pub. No. 2014/0000638 to Sebastian et al., which is incorporated hereinby reference in its entirety. Further, U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/602,871, filed Sep. 4, 2012, discloses an electronic smoking articleincluding a microheater, and which is incorporated herein by referencein its entirety.

Reference also is made to U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2013/0213419, whichdiscloses a ribbon of electrically resistive mesh material that may bewound around a wick, and to U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2013/0192619, whichdiscloses a heater coil about a wick wherein the coil windings havesubstantially uniform spacing between each winding. In certainembodiments according to the present disclosure, a heater may comprise ametal wire, which may be wound with a varying pitch around a liquidtransport element, such as a wick. An exemplary variable pitch heaterthan may be used according to the present disclosure is described inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/827,994, filed Mar. 14, 2013, thedisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Reference also is made to a liquid supply reservoir formed of anelastomeric material and adapted to be manually compressed so as to pumpliquid material therefrom, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Pub. No.2013/0213418. In certain embodiments according to the presentdisclosure, a reservoir may particularly be formed of a fibrousmaterial, such as a fibrous mat or tube that may absorb or adsorb aliquid material.

In another embodiment substantially the entirety of the cartridge may beformed from one or more carbon materials, which may provide advantagesin terms of biodegradability and absence of wires. In this regard, theheating element may comprise a carbon foam, the reservoir may comprisecarbonized fabric, and graphite may be employed to form an electricalconnection with the battery and controller. Such carbon cartridge may becombined with one or more elements as described herein for providingillumination of the cartridge in some embodiments. An example embodimentof a carbon-based cartridge is provided in U.S. Pat. U.S. App. Pub. No.2013/0255702 to Griffith, Jr. et al., which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

In use, when a user draws on the article 100, the heating element 134 isactivated (e.g., such as via a flow sensor), and the components for theaerosol precursor composition are vaporized in the aerosolization zone146. Drawing upon the mouthend 130 of the article 100 causes ambient airto enter the air intake 118 and pass through the central opening in thecoupler 120 and the central opening in the plug 140. In the cartridge104, the drawn air passes through an air passage 148 in an air passagetube 150 and combines with the formed vapor in the aerosolization zone146 to form an aerosol. The aerosol is whisked away from theaerosolization zone 146, passes through an air passage 152 in an airpassage tube 154, and out the mouth opening 128 in the mouthend 130 ofthe article 100.

The various components of an aerosol delivery device according to thepresent disclosure can be chosen from components described in the artand commercially available. Examples of batteries that can be usedaccording to the disclosure are described in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No.2010/0028766, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

An exemplary mechanism that can provide puff-actuation capabilityincludes a Model 163PC01D36 silicon sensor, manufactured by theMicroSwitch division of Honeywell, Inc., Freeport, Ill. Further examplesof demand-operated electrical switches that may be employed in a heatingcircuit according to the present disclosure are described in U.S. Pat.No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al., which is incorporated herein by referencein its entirety. Further description of current regulating circuits andother control components, including microcontrollers that can be usefulin the present aerosol delivery device, are provided in U.S. Pat. Nos.4,922,901, 4,947,874, and 4,947,875, all to Brooks et al., U.S. Pat. No.5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhaueret al., and U.S. Pat. No. 7,040,314 to Nguyen et al., all of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Reference also is made to International Publications WO 2013/098396, WO2013/098397, and WO 2013/098398, which describe controllers configuredto control power supplied to a heater element from a power source as ameans to monitor a status of the device, such as heater temperature, airflow past a heater, and presence of an aerosol forming material near aheater. In particular embodiments, the present disclosure provides avariety of control systems adapted to monitor status indicators, such asthrough communication of a microcontroller in a control body and amicrocontroller or other electronic component in a cartridge component.

The aerosol precursor, which may also be referred to as an aerosolprecursor composition or a vapor precursor composition, can comprise oneor more different components. For example, the aerosol precursor caninclude a polyhydric alcohol (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol, or amixture thereof). Representative types of further aerosol precursorcompositions are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,365 to Sensabaugh, Jr.et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,839 to Jakob et al.; PCT WO 98/57556 toBiggs et al.; and Chemical and Biological Studies on New CigarettePrototypes that Heat Instead of Burn Tobacco, R. J. Reynolds TobaccoCompany Monograph (1988); the disclosures of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

Still further components can be utilized in the aerosol delivery deviceof the present disclosure. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,192 toSprinkel et al. discloses indicators that may be used with smokingarticles; U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,424 to Sprinkel, Jr. disclosespiezoelectric sensors that can be associated with the mouth-end of adevice to detect user lip activity associated with taking a draw andthen trigger heating; U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al.discloses a puff sensor for controlling energy flow into a heating loadarray in response to pressure drop through a mouthpiece; U.S. Pat. No.5,967,148 to Harris et al. discloses receptacles in a smoking devicethat include an identifier that detects a non-uniformity in infraredtransmissivity of an inserted component and a controller that executes adetection routine as the component is inserted into the receptacle; U.S.Pat. No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al. describes a defined executablepower cycle with multiple differential phases; U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,289to Watkins et al. discloses photonic-optronic components; U.S. Pat. No.5,954,979 to Counts et al. discloses means for altering draw resistancethrough a smoking device; U.S. Pat. No. 6,803,545 to Blake et al.discloses specific battery configurations for use in smoking devices;U.S. Pat. No. 7,293,565 to Griffen et al. discloses various chargingsystems for use with smoking devices; U.S. Pat. No. 8,402,976 toFernando et al. discloses computer interfacing means for smoking devicesto facilitate charging and allow computer control of the device; U.S.Pat. App. Pub. No. 2010/0163063 by Fernando et al. disclosesidentification systems for smoking devices; and WO 2010/003480 by Flickdiscloses a fluid flow sensing system indicative of a puff in an aerosolgenerating system; all of the foregoing disclosures being incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. Further examples of componentsrelated to electronic aerosol delivery articles and disclosing materialsor components that may be used in the present article include U.S. Pat.No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,586 to Morgan et al.;U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,574 to Ingebrethsen; U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,977 toHiggins et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,176 to Adams et al.; U.S. Pat. No.6,164,287 to White; U.S. Pat No. 6,196,218 to Voges; U.S. Pat. No.6,810,883 to Felter et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,854,461 to Nichols; U.S.Pat. No. 7,832,410 to Hon; U.S. Pat. No. 7,513,253 to Kobayashi; U.S.Pat. No. 7,896,006 to Hamano; U.S. Pat. No. 6,772,756 to Shayan; U.S.Pat. No. 8,156,944 to Hon; U.S. Pat. No. 8,365,742 to Hon; U.S. Pat. No.8,375,957 to Hon; U.S. Pat. No. 8,393,331 to Hon; U.S. Pat. App. Pub.Nos. 2006/0196518 and 2009/0188490 to Hon; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No.2009/0272379 to Thorens et al.; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 2009/0260641and 2009/0260642 to Monsees et al.; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos.2008/0149118 and 2010/0024834 to Oglesby et al.; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No.2010/0307518 to Wang; WO 2010/091593 to Hon; WO 2013/089551 to Foo; andU.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/841,233, filed Mar. 15, 2013, eachof which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. A varietyof the materials disclosed by the foregoing documents may beincorporated into the present devices in various embodiments, and all ofthe foregoing disclosures are incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

The foregoing description of use of the article can be applied to thevarious embodiments described herein through minor modifications, whichcan be apparent to the person of skill in the art in light of thefurther disclosure provided herein. The above description of use,however, is not intended to limit the use of the article but is providedto comply with all necessary requirements of disclosure of the presentdisclosure.

A further exemplary embodiment of a smoking article 200 (e.g., anaerosol delivery device) including a reservoir housing 244 that may beused with various embodiments according to the present disclosure isshown in FIG. 2. As illustrated therein, a control body 202 can beformed of a control body shell 201 that can include a control component206, a flow sensor 208, a battery 210, and an LED 212. A cartridge 204can be formed of a cartridge shell 203 enclosing the reservoir housing244 that is in fluid communication with a liquid transport element 236adapted to wick or otherwise transport an aerosol precursor compositionstored in the reservoir housing to a heater 234. An opening 228 may bepresent in the cartridge shell 203 to allow for egress of formed aerosolfrom the cartridge 204. Such components are representative of thecomponents that may be present in a cartridge and are not intended tolimit the scope of cartridge components that are encompassed by thepresent disclosure. The cartridge 204 may be adapted to engage thecontrol body 202 through a press-fit engagement between the control bodyprojection 224 and the cartridge receptacle 240. Such engagement canfacilitate a stable connection between the control body 202 and thecartridge 204 as well as establish an electrical connection between thebattery 210 and control component 206 in the control body and the heater234 in the cartridge. The cartridge 204 also may include one or moreelectronic components 250, which may include an IC, a memory component,a sensor, or the like. The electronic component 250 may be adapted tocommunicate with the control component 206.

In some embodiments, an electronic smoking article can comprise a hollowshell that is adapted to enclose one or more further elements of thedevice. The hollow shell may be a single unitary piece that includes allelements of the electronic smoking article. In two piece embodiments,such as described above, the hollow shell may relate to a cartridgeshell or a control body shell.

Having now described several example embodiments of aerosol deliverydevices that may be used with various example embodiments, severalembodiments of a charging accessory device for an aerosol deliverydevice and related systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer programproducts for providing interactive services for aerosol delivery devicesin accordance with the present disclosure will now be described. FIG. 3illustrates a system 300 including a charging accessory device 304 forproviding interactive services for aerosol delivery devices inaccordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure. Thesystem 300 may include one or more of an aerosol delivery device 302,charging accessory device 304, computing device 306, network 308, orsocial networking service 310. It will be appreciated, however, that thecomponents, devices or elements illustrated in and described withrespect to FIG. 3 below may not be mandatory and thus some may beomitted in certain embodiments. Additionally, some embodiments mayinclude further or different components, devices or elements beyondthose illustrated in and described with respect to FIG. 3

The aerosol delivery device 302 may be embodied as any aerosol deliverydevice. By way of non-limiting example, in some embodiments, the aerosoldelivery device 302 may comprise an embodiment of at least a portion ofaerosol delivery device 100 or of smoking article 200.

The aerosol delivery device 302 may include a battery 312, which may beembodied as any battery or other power source that may be configured tosupply power to provide for aerosol formation and/or otherfunctionalities of aerosol delivery device 302. By way of non-limitingexample, the battery 312 of some example embodiments may be anembodiment of battery 110 and/or battery 210. The battery 312 of someexample embodiments is rechargeable, and may be embodied as anyrechargeable battery or combination of rechargeable batteries. By way ofnon-limiting example, the battery 312 may comprise a lithium ion battery(e.g., a rechargeable lithium-manganese dioxide battery), lithium ionpolymer battery, nickel-zinc battery, nickel-metal hydride battery,nickel cadmium battery, rechargeable alkaline battery, some combinationthereof, and/or other type of rechargeable battery.

The aerosol delivery device 302 may further include a control component314. The control component 314 may, for example, be at least partiallyembodied as a processor; microcontroller; integrated circuit; memorystoring instructions executable by a processor, microcontroller, and/orother processing device; some combination thereof; or the like, whichmay be configured to monitor and/or control functionality of the aerosoldelivery device 302. For example, in some embodiments, the controlcomponent 314 may comprise an embodiment of control component 106,control component 206, and/or electronic components 250.

The charging accessory device 304 may comprise a housing, which maydefine one or more receptacles configured to receive at least a portionof one or more aerosol delivery devices 302. In this regard, at least aportion of aerosol delivery device 302 may be releasably retained in thecharging accessory device 302. For example, the housing of the chargingaccessory device 304 of some example embodiments may define a frictionfit receptacle that may be configured to frictionally engage an outershell of the aerosol delivery device 302, or portion thereof, such as acontrol body of the charging accessory device 304. As a further example,the housing of the charging accessory device 304 of some exampleembodiments may define a cavity enclosure that may be configured toenclose or otherwise retain the aerosol delivery device 302 through useof a retaining member, such as a latch, strap, door, and/or the like. Insome example embodiments, the housing of charging accessory device 304may further define one or more receptacles which may be configured toreceive one or more cartridges, such as cartridge 104 and/or cartridge204, which may be used with the aerosol delivery device 302.

It will be appreciated that the housing of the charging accessory device304 may have any of a variety of form factors. In some exampleembodiments, the housing of the charging accessory device 304 may have aportable form factor such that the charging accessory device 304 may becarried in a pocket or handbag of a user. By way of non-limitingexample, in some embodiments, the housing may have a size and shapesubstantially similar to that of a smart phone or pack of cigarettes.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example housing 400 of a charging accessory devicein accordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure.It will be appreciated, however, that the illustration of FIG. 4 isprovided by way of non-limiting example to illustrate an example housingdefining cavities to receive at least a portion of an aerosol deliverydevice and one or more cartridges in accordance with some exampleembodiments. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the housing 400 may define areceptacle 402, which may be configured to receive at least a portion ofan aerosol delivery device 404. The at least a portion of the aerosoldelivery device 404 may, for example, be an embodiment of at least aportion of aerosol delivery device 302. For example, in someembodiments, the receptacle 402 may be configured to receive a controlbody portion of an aerosol delivery device. As another example, in someembodiments, the receptacle 402 may be configured to receive a fullyassembled aerosol delivery device comprising a control body portion anda cartridge that is ready to be used. In some example embodiments, thehousing 400 may include one or more receptacles configured to receive acontrol body portion of an aerosol delivery device and one or morereceptacles configured to receive a fully assembled aerosol deliverydevice comprising a control body portion and a cartridge. The housing400 may further define one or more cartridge receptacles 408, which maybe configured to receive cartridges for the aerosol delivery device 404.

In some example embodiments, the charging accessory device 302 may beconfigured to determine and provide an indication of a charge level ofthe battery 312 when the aerosol delivery device 302 (or portion thereofincluding the battery 312) is in a receptacle of the charging accessorydevice 302. For example, with reference to FIG. 4, the battery chargelevel indicator 406 may indicate a charge level of a battery of theaerosol delivery device 404 when inserted in or otherwise attached toreceptacle 402.

In some example embodiments in which the housing of the chargingaccessory device 302 defines a receptacle configured to receive acartridge, the charging accessory device 302 may be configured todetermine and provide an indication of the level of aerosol precursorcomposition remaining in the cartridge. For example, with reference toFIG. 4, the example housing 400 may include an aerosol precursorcomposition level indicator 410 for each cartridge receptacle 408 andmay indicate the level of aerosol precursor composition remaining in acartridge inserted in or otherwise attached to the correspondingcartridge receptacle 408.

Returning to FIG. 3, the charging accessory device 304 may include apower storage device 322. The power storage device 322 may comprise abattery and/or other device that may be configured to store power thatmay be used to charge the battery 312 of the aerosol delivery device302. In this regard, the charging accessory device 304 may furthercomprise a charging interface 324, which may be configured to establishan electrical connection between the power storage device 322 and thebattery 312 when the aerosol delivery device 302 (or portion thereof) isinserted in a receptacle of the charging accessory device 304 and/orotherwise attached to the charging accessory device 304. In this regard,the charging interface 324 may be configured to supply power from thepower storage device 324 to the battery 312 to charge the battery 312.For example, in some embodiments, the charging interface 324 may beconfigured to establish a physical connection to the battery 312 and/orother component of the aerosol delivery device 302. As another example,in some embodiments, the charging interface 324 may be configured toenable wireless charging of the battery 312 when the aerosol deliverydevice 302 is inserted in a receptacle of the charging accessory device304 and/or otherwise within sufficient proximity of the chargingaccessory device 304.

The power storage device 322 may be rechargeable. In this regard, thepower storage device 322 may comprise one or more rechargeable batteriesand/or other rechargeable power storage devices. By way of non-limitingexample, the power storage device 322 may include one or morerechargeable lithium ion batteries (e.g., a rechargeablelithium-manganese dioxide battery), one or more rechargeable lithium ionpolymer batteries, one or more rechargeable nickel-zinc batteries, oneor more rechargeable nickel-metal hydride batteries, one or morerechargeable nickel cadmium batteries, one or more rechargeable alkalinebatteries, some combination thereof, and/or other type of rechargeablepower storage device.

The charging accessory device 304 may further include an external powerinterface 326, which may be configured to support connection of thecharging accessory device 304 to an external power source 328, which maysupply power to charge the power storage device 322. The external powerinterface 326 may comprise any interface that may be used to interfacewith a power source and receive power from the power source. As such,the type of power source 328 that may be used may vary depending on thetype(s) of external power interface 326 implemented on the chargingaccessory device 304. For example, in some embodiments, the externalpower interface 326 may include a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port orconnector, which may be connected to a computing device, such as thecomputing device 306 of some example embodiments, which may beconfigured to supply power to the charging accessory device 304 that maybe used to charge the power storage device 322. As such, the computingdevice 306 and/or other computing device 306 may provide the powersource 328 in accordance with some example embodiments. As a furtherexample, in some embodiments, the power source 328 may be embodied as anAlternating Current (AC)/Direct Current (DC) adapter (e.g., a wallcharger), which may be configured to convert power from an AC electricaloutlet to Direct Current (DC) that may be used to charge the powerstorage device 322. The AC/DC adapter may include a connector (e.g., aUSB connector and/or other connector) and/or be configured to couplewith a connector (e.g., a USB connector and/or other connector) that maybe coupled with the external power interface 326.

If a power source 328 is coupled with the external power interface 326while the aerosol delivery device 302 is not attached to the chargingaccessory device 304 (e.g., is not in a receptacle of the housing of thecharging accessory device 304), the power source 38 may charge the powerstorage device 322. In some example embodiments, if a power source 328is coupled with the external power interface 326 while the aerosoldelivery device 302 is attached to the charging accessory device 304(e.g., is in a receptacle of the housing of the charging accessorydevice 304), the power source 38 may recharge the power storage device322, while the power storage device 322 recharges the battery 312.

In some example embodiments, the charging accessory device 304 mayinclude one or more indicators, such as one or more LED indicators, agraphic display, and/or other user interface element, such as may beprovided by the user interface 516 illustrated in and described furtherherein below with respect to FIG. 5, that may be used to indicatecharging status and/or charging progress for the battery 312 and/orpower storage device 322. For example, in some embodiments, the chargingaccessory may include a status indicator(s) that may be used to indicatewhether the battery 312 is being charged (e.g., with power from thepower storage device 322). As a further example, in some embodiments,the charging accessory may include a status indicator(s) that may beused to indicate whether the power storage device 322 is being charged(e.g., with power from power source 328). As another example, in someembodiments, such as that illustrated in FIG. 4, the charging accessorydevice 304 may include a battery charge level indicator that mayindicate a charge level of the battery 312 and/or a charge levelindicator that may indicate a charge level of the power storage device322.

The charging accessory device 304 of some example embodiments maycomprise an aerosol delivery device interface 334, which may beconfigured to establish a data connection between the charging accessorydevice 304 and the control component 314 and/or other element(s) of theaerosol delivery device 302 when the aerosol delivery device 302 (orportion thereof) is inserted in a receptacle of the charging accessorydevice 304 and/or otherwise attached to the charging accessory device304. In this regard, the aerosol delivery device 334 may be configuredto enable communication between the charging accessory device 304 andthe control component 314 and/or other component(s) of the aerosoldelivery device 302. It will be appreciated that the aerosol deliverydevice interface 334 may be implemented via any wired and/or wireless(e.g., Bluetooth, Zigbee, Wi-Fi direct, WLAN, and/or other wirelesscommunication technology that may be used to interface two or moredevices) interface that may be used to enable establishment of a dataconnection and communication between two devices. In some exampleembodiments, the charging interface 324 and aerosol delivery deviceinterface 334 may be implemented via a shared interface that may beconfigured to carry both power and data, such as by way of non-limitingexample, a USB interface.

In some example embodiments, the aerosol delivery device interface 334may be configured to interface with a control body portion of theaerosol delivery device 302 via an interface and/or receptacle that maybe used to receive a cartridge for use with the aerosol delivery device302. In this regard, the aerosol delivery device interface 334 of someexample embodiments may provide a data interface that may be insertedinto a cartridge receptacle of a control body portion of the aerosoldelivery device 302 in place of a cartridge (e.g., when the aerosoldelivery device 302 is received to a receptacle, such as receptacle 402,of the charging accessory device 304). In some such embodiments, aninput of the aerosol delivery device 302 that may be configured to readcurrent sensing data may be used as a digital receive input, and anoutput that may be used for switching power to a heater element may beused as a digital output by the control component 314 to enablecommunication between the aerosol delivery device 302 and the chargingaccessory device 304. In this regard, heater connection points that maybe used when a cartridge is inserted in the aerosol delivery device 302may be repurposed to provide a serial interface between the aerosoldelivery device 302 and charging accessory device 304.

The aerosol delivery device interface 334 may be used by the chargingaccessory device 304 to collect data from the aerosol delivery device302. For example, in some embodiments, the charging accessory device 304may be configured to collect usage data from the aerosol delivery device302. In this regard, the control component 314 of some exampleembodiments may be configured to maintain usage data for the aerosoldelivery device 302, which may be collected by the charging accessorydevice 304 via the aerosol delivery device interface 334. The chargingaccessory device 304 may be configured to at least temporarily storecollected usage data on a memory that may be implemented on the chargingaccessory device 304, such as memory 514 illustrated in and describedbelow with respect to FIG. 5.

The collected usage data may include any data detailing usage of theaerosol delivery device 302, such as, by way of non-limiting example, anumber of cartridges used in the aerosol delivery device over a periodof time, a number of puffs taken by the user over a period of time,total cumulative puff time (e.g., in seconds and/or other unit of time),average rest time between individual puffs, shortest observed rest timebetween individual puffs, longest observed rest time between individualpuffs, total rest time between individual puffs (e.g., in seconds and/orother unit of time), a number of forced cutoffs for a puff exceeding amaximum allowable puff duration (e.g., 4 seconds), a number of smokingsessions for which the aerosol delivery device was used over a period oftime, or a duration of one or more smoking sessions, a date/time of oneor more smoking sessions, power consumption data, and/or other usagedata. In some example embodiments in which a number of puffs taken bythe user is captured, a double/triple/multi-clutch puff may be countedas a single puff Additionally or alternatively, in some exampleembodiments, a double/triple/multi-cutch puff may be separately countedas individual puffs. As further examples, the usage data may include atotal number of low cartridge warnings provided by the aerosol deliverydevice 302 over a period of time, a total number of empty cartridgeerrors provided by the aerosol delivery device 302 over a period oftime, a total number of low battery warnings provided by the aerosoldelivery device 302 over a period of time, a total number of emptybattery errors provided by the aerosol delivery device 302 over a periodof time, a total number of lockout occurrences over a period of time,and/or other status indications/warnings/errors that may be provided bythe aerosol delivery device 302 during operation based on usage thereof.Usage data for a given period of time may be any time period, such as,by way of non-limiting example, a life of the aerosol delivery device302, a time period elapsed since a previous charging of the aerosoldelivery device 302 in the charging accessory device 304, or a timeperiod specified by a user of the aerosol delivery device 302, chargingaccessory device 304, and/or computing device 306.

As a further example, the usage data may include a type(s) of aerosolprecursor composition used in the aerosol delivery device 302. In thisregard, a type of aerosol precursor composition may be defined at leastin part by a chemical formulation of the aerosol precursor composition,a flavorant of the aerosol precursor composition, a brand of the aerosolprecursor composition, a tobacco concentration of the aerosol precursorcomposition, and/or other qualities that may distinguish various typesof aerosol precursor compositions.

In some embodiments, the charging accessory device 304 may be configuredto collect diagnostic data from the aerosol delivery device 302. Thediagnostic data may, for example, include data indicative of thefunctionality of one or more components of the aerosol delivery device302, which may be used to identify any malfunctions, failed components,and/or other problems that may occur with the aerosol delivery device302. As a further example, the diagnostic data may include a softwareversion of software that may be installed on the aerosol delivery device302. As another example, the diagnostic data may include a measuredtemperature (e.g., in degrees Fahrenheit and/or in degrees Celsius) ofthe aerosol delivery device 302 and/or one or more components thereof ata point of operation. For example, in some example embodiments, thediagnostic data may include an average measured temperature, minimumobserved temperature, and/or maximum measured temperature at the startof the puff. The collected diagnostic data may be used to determine whena component of the aerosol delivery device 302 may need to be replacedand/or when software of the aerosol delivery device 302 should beupdated.

The charging accessory device 304 may be further configured to trackcharging session data relating to one or more charging sessions. Forexample, the charging accessory device 304 may track a charge coulombcount for one or more charging sessions, a number of charger connectionsbetween the charging accessory device and aerosol delivery device 302, acharging time for a charging session, a total charging time over aperiod of time, a percentage of time in which the charging accessorydevice 304 was coupled with the charging accessory device that was usedto charge the battery 312, and/or other charging session data.

In some example embodiments, the charging accessory device 304 may beconfigured to use the aerosol delivery device interface 334 to deliver asoftware update to the aerosol delivery device 302 to update a softwareconfiguration of the aerosol delivery device. For example, the softwareupdate may include a software upgrade, patch, and/or the like foroperating software that may be implemented on the aerosol deliverydevice 302. As a further example, the software update may include anupdate (e.g., a customization) to one or more configuration settings ofthe aerosol delivery device 302, such as various operating parametersincluding a configuration of user interface functionality, such asfunctionality of an LED indicator(s) of the aerosol delivery device 302,a heating profile of the aerosol delivery device 302, an amount ofaerosol precursor composition that is vaporized per puff, and/or otheroperating parameters of the aerosol delivery device 302. As anotherexample, the software update may include personal information, such as auser name, address, contact information, and/or the like for a user ofthe aerosol delivery device 302, which may be programmed to the aerosoldelivery device 302.

The charging accessory device 304 may further include a communicationinterface 336, which may be configured to enable communication betweenthe charging accessory device 304 and one or more further devices and/orone or more networks. For example, the communication interface 336 maybe configured to enable the charging accessory device 304 to communicatewith the computing device 306 and/or to access the network 308. In thisregard, the communication interface 336 may include one or moreinterface mechanisms for enabling communication with other devicesand/or networks. As such, the communication interface 336 may include,for example, an antenna (or multiple antennas) and supporting hardwareand/or software for enabling wireless communications with a wirelesscommunication network and/or another device through a wirelesscommunications technology, such as a cellular communication technology,Wi-Fi and/or other Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers(IEEE) 802.11 technology, Bluetooth, Zigbee, wireless USB, near fieldcommunication (NFC), radio frequency identification (RF-ID), WiMAXand/or other IEEE 802.16 technology, and/or other wireless communicationtechnology. The communication interface 336 may additionally oralternatively include a communication modem or other hardware/softwarefor supporting communication via cable, digital subscriber line (DSL),USB, FireWire, Ethernet, one or more optical transmission technologies,and/or other wireline networking methods. In some example embodiments,the external power interface 326 and communication interface 336 may beimplemented via a shared interface that may be configured to carry bothpower and data, such as by way of non-limiting example, a USB interface.

The computing device 306 may be embodied as any computing device thatmay be configured to communicate with the charging accessory device 304and access the network 308. By way of non-limiting example, thecomputing device 306 of some example embodiments may be embodied as amobile computing device, such as a cellular telephone (e.g., asmartphone or other cellular telephone device), a tablet computingdevice, a digital media player, some combination thereof, or othermobile computing device. As a further example, the computing device 306of some example embodiments may comprise a personal computer (PC), suchas a desktop PC, laptop PC, or other type of PC.

The network 308 may be embodied as any network, or combination ofnetworks, which may enable two or more computing devices to communicatewith each other. In this regard, the network 308 may, for example,comprise one or more wireline networks, one or more wireless networks(e.g., a cellular network, WLAN, wireless metropolitan area network,wireless wide area network, some combination thereof, or the like), or acombination thereof, and in some example embodiments may comprise theInternet.

The computing device 306 and charging accessory device 304 maycommunicate via any wireless and/or wireline communication technologythat may be supported by both the computing device 306 and thecommunication interface 336. For example, the computing device 306 andcharging accessory device 304 may communicate via a USB connection,Firewire connection, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Wi-Fi direct, and/or othertechnology that may be used to interface two computing devices.Additionally or alternatively, in some example embodiments, thecomputing device 306 and charging accessory device 304 may be configuredto communicate with each other via the network 308, or portion thereof,such as a local area network that may be used to access the network 308.

The computing device 306 may be further configured to access andcommunicate with the social networking service 310. The socialnetworking service 310 may be implemented via one or more computingdevices that may be configured to provide a social networking servicecomprising a community of aerosol delivery device users. By way ofnon-limiting example, the social networking service 310 may beimplemented by one or more servers, a cloud computing infrastructure,and/or other computing device(s) that may be configured to provide asocial networking service that may be accessed by computing devices,such as computing device 306, over the network 308.

In some example embodiments, the social networking service 310 may be ageneral purpose social networking service, such as Facebook, Twitter,LinkedIn, and/or the like, which may include a larger community ofusers, of which a subset may be aerosol delivery device users. Asanother example, in some embodiments, the social networking service 310may be a dedicated social networking service for aerosol deliverydevices, such as may be implemented and maintained by a manufacturer orvendor of one or more of the aerosol delivery device 302 or chargingaccessory device 304, a manufacturer or vendor of cartridges and/orother accessories for the aerosol delivery device 302, and/or otherparty that may be involved in the manufacture and/or distribution ofaerosol delivery devices and/or aerosol delivery device accessories.

The computing device 306 may be configured to provide interactiveservices to enable a user to view and interact with data (e.g., usagedata, diagnostic data, charging session data, and/or other data) aboutthe aerosol delivery device 302 that may be provided by the chargingaccessory device 304 and/or social networking services that may beprovided by the social networking service 310. For example, in someembodiments, the computing device 306 may implement a thin client, suchas a web browser, dedicated thin client application, and/or the likewhich may be configured to enable a user to access and interact with thesocial networking service 310. As another example, in some embodiments,the computing device 306 may have an application, such as a mobile app,implemented thereon that may be configured to enable interaction withthe aerosol delivery device 302, charging accessory device 304, and/orsocial networking service 310. In embodiments implementing a mobile appand/or other application, the application may be downloaded from an appstore, the social networking service 310, a manufacturer or vendor ofthe aerosol delivery device 302, charging accessory device 304, and/oraccessories for the aerosol delivery device 302.

The computing device 306 may be configured to receive and display dataassociated with the aerosol delivery device 302 that may be accessedand/or otherwise received from the charging accessory device 304. By wayof non-limiting example, the data may include usage data (e.g., usagedata that may be captured by the control component 312 and accessed bythe charging accessory device 304 via the aerosol delivery deviceinterface 334 as described above), diagnostic data that may be collectedby the charging accessory device 304 as described above, a power levelof the battery 312, charging session data (e.g., charging session datathat may be captured by the charging accessory device 304 as describedabove), charging status of the battery 312, a power level of the powerstorage device 322, a charging status of the power storage device 322, alevel of aerosol precursor composition remaining in a cartridge, and/orother data that may be captured and provided to the computing device 306by the charging accessory device 304 of various example embodiments.

In some example embodiments, the computing device 306 may be configuredto derive further data from data that may be received by the chargingaccessory device 304. For example, the computing device 306 of someexample embodiments may be configured to derive a device usagepattern(s) for the aerosol delivery device 302 from usage data. Thedevice usage pattern may include a favorite type of aerosol precursorcomposition used by a user of the aerosol delivery device 302, a timeperiod during which the aerosol delivery device 302 is most commonlyused, trends in usage of the aerosol delivery device 302, and/or otherpatterns that may be derived from usage data. As another example, thederived data may include a diagnosis of an operating condition of one ormore components of the aerosol delivery device 302 that may be derivedfrom diagnostic data.

In some example embodiments, social data may be generated based at leastin part on usage data that may be collected by the charging accessorydevice 304. The social data may be sent to the social networking service310 via the network 308. For example, in some embodiments, the socialdata may be included in a social media update, such as status update,tweet, post, and/or the like, that may be published to a social mediaaccount that may be associated with a user of one or more of the aerosoldelivery device 302, charging accessory device 304, or computing device306.

In some example embodiments, the computing device 306 may be configuredto generate social data and send the social data to the socialnetworking service. Additionally or alternatively, in some exampleembodiments, the charging accessory device 304 may be configured togenerate social data and send the social data to the social networkingservice 310. In this regard, the charging accessory device 304 ofvarious example embodiments may be configured to cause social data to beprovided to the social networking service 310 by sending social data tothe social networking service 310 and/or by providing usage data to adevice, such as computing device 306 that may be configured to generateand send social data to the social networking service 310. Generation ofsocial data and the provision of social data to the social networkingservice 310 in accordance with some example embodiments is describedfurther herein below with respect to FIGS. 7 and 8.

The computing device 306 of some example embodiments may be furtherconfigured to receive and display social networking information andinteractive services that may be provided by the social networkingservice 310. In this regard, the computing device 306 may be configuredto enable user interaction with social networking services that may beprovided by the social networking service 310. Several examples of suchsocial networking services are described further herein below.

In some example embodiments, the charging accessory device 304 and/orcomputing device 306 may be configured to provide collected data (e.g.,usage data, diagnostic data, charging session data, data derivedtherefrom, and/or other data) to a computing device that may beassociated with a manufacturer or vendor of one or more of the aerosoldelivery device 302 or charging accessory device 304, a manufacturer orvendor of cartridges and/or other accessories for the aerosol deliverydevice 302, and/or other party that may be involved in the manufactureand/or distribution of aerosol delivery devices and/or aerosol deliverydevice accessories. In this regard, collected data may be used by amanufacturer, vendor, and/or other interested party to diagnose anyfaults, adjust present and/or future aerosol delivery deviceconfigurations, and/or for other purposes.

Having now generally described elements and functionality of the system300, several particular embodiments as well as additional functionalityand services that may be provided by elements of the system 300 will bedescribed below with respect to FIGS. 5-10.

FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of an apparatus 500 that may beimplemented on a charging accessory device 304 in accordance with someexample embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be appreciatedthat the components, devices or elements illustrated in and describedwith respect to FIG. 5 below may not be mandatory and thus some may beomitted in certain embodiments. Additionally, some embodiments mayinclude further or different components, devices or elements beyondthose illustrated in and described with respect to FIG. 5.

In some example embodiments, the apparatus 500 may include processingcircuitry 510 that is configurable to perform and/or control performanceof functions of the charging accessory device 304 in accordance with oneor more example embodiments disclosed herein. Thus, the processingcircuitry 510 may be configured to perform data processing, applicationexecution and/or other processing and management services that may beimplemented to perform functionality of the charging accessory device304 according to one or more example embodiments.

In some embodiments, the apparatus 500 or a portion(s) or component(s)thereof, such as the processing circuitry 510, may include one or morechipsets, which may each include one or more chips. The processingcircuitry 510 and/or one or more further components of the apparatus 500may therefore, in some instances, be configured to implement anembodiment on a chipset.

In some example embodiments, the processing circuitry 510 may include aprocessor 512 and, in some embodiments, such as that illustrated in FIG.5, may further include a memory 514. The processing circuitry 510 may bein communication with or otherwise control a user interface 516 and/orcommunication interface 518.

The processor 512 may be embodied in a variety of forms. For example,the processor 512 may be embodied as various hardware processing meanssuch as a microprocessor, a coprocessor, a controller or various othercomputing or processing devices including integrated circuits such as,for example, an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit), an FPGA(field programmable gate array), some combination thereof, or the like.Although illustrated as a single processor, it will be appreciated thatthe processor 512 may comprise a plurality of processors. The pluralityof processors may be in operative communication with each other and maybe collectively configured to perform one or more functionalities of thecharging accessory device 304. In some example embodiments, theprocessor 512 may be configured to execute instructions that may bestored in the memory 514 and/or that may be otherwise accessible to theprocessor 512. As such, whether configured by hardware or by acombination of hardware and software, the processor 512 may be capableof performing operations according to various embodiments whileconfigured accordingly.

In some example embodiments, the memory 514 may include one or morememory devices. Memory 514 may include fixed and/or removable memorydevices. In some embodiments, the memory 514 may provide anon-transitory computer-readable storage medium that may store computerprogram instructions that may be executed by the processor 512. In thisregard, the memory 514 may be configured to store information, data,applications, instructions and/or the like for enabling the apparatus500 to carry out various functions of the charging accessory device 304in accordance with one or more example embodiments. For example, in someembodiments, memory 514 may be configured to at least temporarily storeusage data, diagnostic data, and/or other data that may be collectedfrom the aerosol delivery device 302. In some embodiments, the memory514 may be in communication with one or more of the processor 512, userinterface 516, or communication interface 518 via a bus (or buses) forpassing information among components of the apparatus 500.

In some example embodiments, the apparatus 500 may further include theuser interface 516. The user interface 516 may be in communication withthe processing circuitry 510 to receive an indication of a user inputand/or to provide an audible, visual, mechanical, or other output to auser. As such, the user interface 516 may include, for example, akeyboard, a display, a touch screen display, a microphone, a speaker,one or more indicator lights, and/or other input/output mechanisms. Forexample, the user interface 516 may comprise a display, one or moreLEDs, and/or other output mechanisms that may be configured to indicatea charge level, charging status, and/or charging progress for one ormore of the battery 312 or power storage device 322. As a furtherexample, the user interface 516 may comprise a display, one or moreLEDs, and/or other output mechanisms that may be configured to indicatea level of aerosol precursor composition remaining in one or morecartridges.

The apparatus 500 may further include a communication interface 518. Thecommunication interface 518 may enable the apparatus 500 to communicatewith one or more further computing devices 520, either directly, or viaa network 522. The network 522 may comprise an embodiment of the network308 and, as such, may include a local area network and/or a wide areanetwork, such as the internet. The device(s) 520 may, for example,include an aerosol delivery device 302, computing device 306, socialnetworking service 310, one or more further charging accessory devices304, and/or other computing device with which the charging accessorydevice 304 may communicate. In this regard, the communication interface518 may be configured to provide aspects of one or more of the aerosoldelivery device interface 334 or communication interface 336. Thecommunication interface 518 may accordingly include one or moreinterface mechanisms, such as an antenna (or multiple antennas) andsupporting hardware and/or software for enabling communications viawireless communication technology (e.g., a cellular technology,communication technology, Wi-Fi and/or other IEEE 802.11 technology,Bluetooth, Zigbee, wireless USB, NFC, RE-ID, WiMAX and/or other IEEE802.16 technology, and/or other wireless communication technology)and/or a communication modem or other hardware/software for supportingcommunication via cable, digital subscriber line (DSL), USB, FireWire,Ethernet, one or more optical transmission technologies, and/or otherwireline networking methods.

FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of an apparatus 600 that may beimplemented on a computing device, such as computing device 306,configured to provide interactive services for an aerosol deliverydevice, such as aerosol delivery device 302, in accordance with someexample embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be appreciatedthat the components, devices or elements illustrated in and describedwith respect to FIG. 6 below may not be mandatory and thus some may beomitted in certain embodiments. Additionally, some embodiments mayinclude further or different components, devices or elements beyondthose illustrated in and described with respect to FIG. 6.

In some example embodiments, the apparatus 600 may include processingcircuitry 610 that is configurable to perform functions in accordancewith one or more example embodiments disclosed herein. In this regard,the processing circuitry 610 may be configured to perform and/or controlperformance of one or more functionalities of apparatus 600 (e.g.,functionalities of the computing device 306) in accordance with variousexample embodiments. Thus, the processing circuitry 610 may beconfigured to perform data processing, application execution and/orother processing and management services according to one or moreexample embodiments.

In some embodiments, the apparatus 600 or a portion(s) or component(s)thereof, such as the processing circuitry 610, may include one or morechipsets, which may each include one or more chips. The processingcircuitry 610 and/or one or more further components of the apparatus 600may therefore, in some instances, be configured to implement anembodiment on a chipset.

In some example embodiments, the processing circuitry 610 may include aprocessor 612 and, in some embodiments, such as that illustrated in FIG.6, may further include memory 614. The processing circuitry 610 may bein communication with or otherwise control a user interface 616,communication interface 618, and/or interactive services module 620.

The processor 612 may be embodied in a variety of forms. For example,the processor 612 may be embodied as various hardware processing means,such as a microprocessor, a coprocessor, a controller or various othercomputing or processing devices including integrated circuits such as,for example, an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit), an FPGA(field programmable gate array), some combination thereof, or the like.Although illustrated as a single processor, it will be appreciated thatthe processor 612 may comprise a plurality of processors. The pluralityof processors may be in operative communication with each other and maybe collectively configured to perform one or more functionalities of theapparatus 600. In some example embodiments, the processor 612 may beconfigured to execute instructions that may be stored in the memory 614and/or that may be otherwise accessible to the processor 612. As such,whether configured by hardware or by a combination of hardware andsoftware, the processor 612 may be capable of performing operationsaccording to various embodiments while being configured accordingly.

In some example embodiments, the memory 614 may include one or morememory devices. Memory 614 may include fixed and/or removable memorydevices. In some embodiments, the memory 614 may provide anon-transitory computer-readable storage medium that may store computerprogram instructions that may be executed by the processor 612. In thisregard, the memory 614 may be configured to store information, data,applications, instructions and/or the like for enabling the apparatus600 to carry out various functions in accordance with one or moreexample embodiments. In some embodiments, the memory 614 may be incommunication with one or more of the processor 612, user interface 616,communication interface 618, or interactive services module 620 via abus (or buses) for passing information among components of the apparatus600.

In some example embodiments, the apparatus 600 may include the userinterface 616. The user interface 616 may be in communication with theprocessing circuitry 610 to receive an indication of a user input and/orto provide an audible, visual, mechanical, or other output to a user. Assuch, the user interface 616 may include, for example, a keyboard, amouse, a joystick, a display, a touch screen display, a microphone, aspeaker, one or more biometric input devices (e.g., a visual orsensorial tracing device that may track body part or eye movements),and/or other input/output mechanisms. The user interface 616 of someexample embodiments may be used by a user to view data associated withthe aerosol delivery device 302 that may be provided by and/or otherwisederived from data that may be provided by the charging accessory device304. The user interface 616 may additionally or alternatively be used bya user to interact with social networking services that may be providedby the social networking service 310 of some example embodiments.

The apparatus 600 may further comprise the communication interface 618.The communication interface 618 may enable the apparatus 600 tocommunicate with one or more further computing devices 620, eitherdirectly, or via a network 622. In this regard, the communicationinterface 618 may include one or more interface mechanisms for enablingcommunication with other devices and/or networks. The network 622 maycomprise an embodiment of the network 308 and, as such, may include alocal area network and/or a wide area network, such as the internet. Thedevice(s) 620 may, for example, include an aerosol delivery device 302,charging accessory device 304, social networking service 310, and/orother computing device with which the computing device 306 maycommunicate. The communication interface 618 may accordingly include oneor more interface mechanisms, such as an antenna (or multiple antennas)and supporting hardware and/or software for enabling communications viawireless communication technology (e.g., a cellular technology,communication technology, Wi-Fi and/or other IEEE 802.11 technology,Bluetooth, Zigbee, wireless USB, NFC, RF-ID, WiMAX and/or other IEEE802.16 technology, and/or other wireless communication technology)and/or a communication modem or other hardware/software for supportingcommunication via cable, digital subscriber line (DSL), USB, FireWire,Ethernet, one or more optical transmission technologies, and/or otherwireline networking methods.

The apparatus 600 may further include interactive services module 620.The interactive services module 620 may be embodied as various means,such as circuitry, hardware, a computer program product comprisingcomputer readable program instructions stored on a computer readablemedium (for example, the memory 614) and executed by a processing device(for example, the processor 612), or some combination thereof. In someembodiments, the processor 612 (or the processing circuitry 610) mayinclude, or otherwise control, the interactive services module 620. Theinteractive services module 620 may be configured to provide interactiveservices for enabling interaction with the aerosol delivery device 302,charging accessory device 304 and/or with the social networking service310. For example, the interactive services module 620 may be configuredto process data that may be received from the charging accessory device304, such as to derive further data, generate social data, and/or thelike. As a further example, the interactive services module 620 may beconfigured to provide a graphical user interface, such as may be viewedon a display of the user interface 616 to enable a user to view dataassociated with aerosol delivery device 302, update a softwareconfiguration of the aerosol delivery device 302 (e.g., via the chargingaccessory device 304), interact with social networking services that maybe provided by the social networking service 310, and/or the like. Insome example embodiments, one or more aspects of the interactiveservices module 620 may be provided by an application, such as a mobileapp, that may be stored on memory 614 and executed by the processor 612.

FIG. 7 illustrates a flowchart according to an example method that maybe performed by the charging accessory device 302 to collect and provideaccess to usage data for the aerosol delivery device 302 to thecomputing device 306 for use in providing interactive services inaccordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure. Oneor more of aerosol delivery device interface 334, communicationinterface 336, processing circuitry 510, processor 512, memory 514, userinterface 516, or communication interface 518 may, for example, providemeans for performing one or more of the operations illustrated in anddescribed with respect to FIG. 7.

Operation 700 may include the charging accessory device 302communicating with the control component 314 of the aerosol deliverydevice 302 to access usage data for the aerosol delivery device 302.This usage data may include any data related to usage of the aerosoldelivery device 302, such as, by way of non-limiting example, a numberof cartridges used in the aerosol delivery device over a period of time,a number of puffs taken by the user over a period of time, a totalcumulative puff time over a period of time, a number of smoking sessionsfor which the aerosol delivery device was used over a period of time, ora duration of one or more smoking sessions, a date/time of one or moresmoking sessions, power consumption data, and/or other usage datadescribed herein. As a further example, the usage data may include atype(s) of aerosol precursor composition used in the aerosol deliverydevice 302.

Operation 710 may include the charging accessory device 304 providingthe usage data to the computing device 306. In some example embodiments,one or more of operations 700 or 710 may be performed in response to arequest from the computing device 306. Additionally or alternatively, insome example embodiments, the charging accessory device 304 may beconfigured to automatically provide collected usage data to thecomputing device 306 when a communication channel between the chargingaccessory device 304 and the computing device 306 is available.

FIG. 8 illustrates a flowchart according to an example method forproviding social data generated based at least in part on aerosoldelivery device usage data provided by the charging accessory device 304to the social networking service 310 in accordance with some exampleembodiments of the present disclosure. More particularly, FIG. 8illustrates a method that may be performed by computing device 306 basedon usage data that may be provided by the charging accessory device 304attendant to performance of operations 700-710 as described above. Oneor more of processing circuitry 610, processor 612, memory 614, userinterface 616, communication interface 618, or interactive servicesmodule 620 may, for example, provide means for performing one or more ofthe operations illustrated in and described with respect to FIG. 8.

Operation 800 may include the computing device 306 receiving usage datafor the aerosol delivery device 302 from the charging accessory device304. In this regard, operation 800 may comprise the computing device 306receiving usage data that may be provided to the computing device 306attendant to performance of operation 710.

Operation 810 may include the computing device 306 generating socialdata based at least in part on the usage data. For example, in someembodiments, operation 810 may include generating social data that maybe included in a social media update that may be published to a socialnetwork account associated with a user of the aerosol delivery device302.

It will be appreciated that the social data that may be generated inoperation 810 may include any of a variety of elements of usage datathat may be collected from the aerosol delivery device 302. For example,if the usage data includes a type of aerosol precursor composition usedin the aerosol delivery device, the social data may indicate that theuser smoked the type of aerosol precursor composition. As anotherexample, the social data may indicate various usage statistics that maybe derived from usage data, such as one or more of the number ofcartridges used in the aerosol delivery device 302 over a period oftime, the number of puffs taken by the user over a period of time, totalcumulative puff time over a period of time, the number of smokingsessions for which the aerosol delivery device 302 was used over aperiod of time, or the duration of one or more smoking sessions.

As a further example, in some embodiments, the computing device 306 maybe configured to derive a device usage pattern(s) for the aerosoldelivery device 302 from usage data that may be received in operation800. In such example embodiments, the social data that may be generatedin operation 810 may include an indication of the derived usage pattern.

In some example embodiments, the computing device 306 may be configuredto determine a location of the computing device 306 and generate thesocial data to include an indication of the location. For example, thelocation may be determined through a satellite navigation system, suchas the Global Positioning System (GPS) and/or other satellite navigationsystem, location services that may be provided by a cellular network,location information that may be obtained from a wireless local areanetwork (WLAN) access point, and/or other source of location informationthat may be used to at least approximate the location of the computingdevice 306.

Operation 820 may include the computing device 306 sending the socialdata to the social networking service 310. For example, in someembodiments, operation 820 may include sending the social data to thesocial networking service 310 for use by the social networking service310 to provide social networking services, loyalty rewards (e.g.,coupons), and/or other services to a user of the aerosol delivery device302. Additionally or alternatively, in some example embodiments,operation 820 may include causing a social media update comprising thesocial data to be published to social network account associated with auser of the aerosol delivery device 302.

In some example embodiments, the social networking service 310 may beconfigured to provide social networking services to the computing device306 based at least in part on social data that may be sent to the socialnetworking service 310. For example, in some example embodiments, thesocial networking service 310 may be configured to facilitate theidentification of nearby aerosol delivery device users with which theuser may socialize. In this regard, the computing device 306 of someexample embodiments may be configured to provide a location of the userof the aerosol delivery device 302 to the social networking service 310,such as in social data as described above and/or in a dedicated locationupdate message, and the social networking service 310 may be configuredto identify other aerosol delivery device users that are members of thesocial networking service 310 who are proximate to the location of theuser of the aerosol delivery device 302. Nearby aerosol delivery deviceusers may, for example, be users within a defined distance of thelocation of the user of the aerosol delivery device 302. The defineddistance may, for example, be a distance defined by the socialnetworking service 310 and/or a distance that may be selected by theuser of the aerosol delivery device 302, such as through interactionwith the computing device 306.

In some example embodiments, the social networking service 310 mayidentify existing contacts (e.g., friends) of the user on the socialnetworking service 310 that are nearby to the user's location.Additionally or alternatively, in some example embodiments, the socialnetworking service 310 may identify nearby aerosol delivery device usersthat are not existing contacts of the user of the aerosol deliverydevice 302. For example, in some embodiments, the social networkingservice 310 may identify nearby aerosol delivery device users that mayhave a similar device usage pattern to that of the user of the aerosoldelivery device 302.

The social networking service 310 may provide an indication of one ormore identified aerosol delivery device users that are nearby thelocation of the user of the aerosol delivery device 302 to the computingdevice 306. The computing device 306 may be configured to display anindication of at least one of the nearby aerosol delivery device usersindicated by the social networking service 310 along with associatedlocation information for the nearby aerosol delivery device user(s). Forexample, the indication may be displayed within a graphical userinterface of an application that may be used to access the socialnetworking service 310. In some example embodiments, display of anindication of a nearby aerosol delivery device user may includedisplaying an indication of the location of the nearby aerosol deliverydevice user on a map. As another example, in some embodiments, displayof an indication of a nearby aerosol delivery device user may includelisting a name of the nearby aerosol delivery device user along withlocation information, such as a name (e.g., a store name, restaurantname, and/or the like) and/or address of the location of the nearbyaerosol delivery device user.

In some example embodiments, the social networking service 310 may beconfigured to identify an aerosol delivery device user on the socialnetworking service 310 having a device usage pattern correlating tosocial data sent to the social networking service 310 by the computingdevice 306 and/or by the charging accessory device 304. As describedabove, in some embodiments, the social data may directly indicate adevice usage pattern. Additionally or alternatively, in some exampleembodiments, the social networking service 310 may be configured toderive a device usage pattern for the user of the aerosol deliverydevice 302 based on social media updates that may be published to theuser's account and/or based on other social data that may be sent to thesocial networking service 310, which may be indicative of usage of theaerosol delivery device 302 by the user. A user having a device usagepattern correlating to a device usage pattern for the user of theaerosol delivery device 302 may have an identical device usage patternand/or may have a device usage pattern exhibiting similarities within acomparison threshold that may be applied to determine whether two deviceusage patterns are correlated.

The social networking service 310 may be further configured to providean indication of an aerosol delivery device user having an aerosoldelivery device usage pattern correlating to a device usage pattern ofthe user of the aerosol delivery device 302 to the computing device 306.The computing device 306 may be configured to present the aerosoldelivery device user as a suggested contact on the social networkingservice 310 for the user of the aerosol delivery device 302. Forexample, the computing device 306 may be configured to display anindication of the suggested contact within a graphical user interface ofan application that may be used to access the social networking service310.

In some example embodiments, a user of the computing device 306 may bepresented with electronic coupons selected based at least in part onusage data received from the charging accessory device 304 and/or onsocial data sent to the social networking service 310. In some suchexample embodiments, an electronic coupon presented to the user may beselected by the computing device 306 from a plurality of availableoptions. Additionally or alternatively, in some example embodiments, thecoupon may be selected by the social networking service 310 and providedto the computing device 306 so that the electronic coupon may bepresented to the user. For example, if usage data and/or social dataindicate that a user prefers a certain type of aerosol precursorcomposition, an electronic coupon may be presented for cartridgescontaining the preferred aerosol precursor composition and/or forcartridges containing a comparable aerosol precursor composition. Asanother example, if a user is located within proximity of a storeselling cartridges and/or other accessories for the aerosol deliverydevice 302, an electronic coupon for use in that store may be presented.As a further example, in some embodiments, a user may be presented witha loyalty coupon for participating in the social networking service 310,such as by publishing a defined number of social media updates relatedto usage of the aerosol delivery device 302 to his or her account.

As discussed previously, in some example embodiments, a softwareconfiguration of the aerosol delivery device 302 may be updated by thecharging accessory device 304. The software configuration update may,for example, include a software configuration of the control component314 and/or may include a software configuration update that may defineand/or adjust an operating parameter of a cartridge that may be used inthe aerosol delivery device 302. In some such example embodiments, thesoftware update may be provided to the charging accessory device 304 bythe computing device 306. Additionally or alternatively, in some exampleembodiments, the computing device 306 may be configured to communicatedirectly with the aerosol delivery device 302 to provide a softwareconfiguration update to the aerosol delivery device 302.

In some embodiments, the computing device 306 may download a softwareupdate from a source over the network 308, such as from socialnetworking service 310, from a manufacturer of the aerosol deliverydevice 302 and/or component thereof, from a vendor of the aerosoldelivery device 302 and/or component thereof, and/or from some othersource that may provide software updates for the aerosol delivery device302. The computing device 306 may send the software update to thecharging accessory device 304 so that the charging accessory device 304may use the software update to update the software configuration of theaerosol delivery device 302.

Additionally or alternatively, in some example embodiments, thecomputing device 306 (e.g., the interactive services module 620) may beconfigured to provide an interface enabling a user to select aconfiguration setting update for the aerosol delivery device 302. Forexample, in some embodiments, a user interface may enable a user toselect to adjust and/or otherwise update to one or more configurationsof the aerosol delivery device 302. It will be appreciated that suchconfiguration update may include an adjustment to any adjustableconfiguration of the aerosol delivery device 302, such as by way ofexample, a heating profile configuration, a configuration for operationof one or more LEDs and/or other user interface element(s) that may beimplemented on the aerosol delivery device 302, an amount of aerosolprecursor vaporized per puff, a configuration relating to charging ofthe battery 312, a configuration regulating consumption of the battery312, and/or the like. The computing device 306 may generate a softwareupdate including the selected configuration setting update and send thegenerated software update to the charging accessory device 304. Examplemethods according to such example embodiments are illustrated in anddescribed below with respect to FIGS. 9 and 10.

FIG. 9 illustrates a flowchart according to an example method forproviding a software update for an aerosol delivery device to thecharging accessory device 304 in accordance with some exampleembodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, FIG. 9illustrates a method that may be performed by the computing device 306in accordance with some example embodiments. One or more of processingcircuitry 610, processor 612, memory 614, user interface 616,communication interface 618, or interactive services module 620 may, forexample, provide means for performing one or more of the operationsillustrated in and described with respect to FIG. 9.

Operation 900 may include the computing device 306 receiving anindication of a selected configuration setting update for the aerosoldelivery device 302. For example, the indication may be received via agraphical user interface that may be displayed by the computing device306, such as under the control of the interactive services module 620.The selected configuration setting update may include an update to anyconfiguration setting of the aerosol delivery device 302. By way ofnon-limiting example, the configuration setting update may updatevarious operating parameters, such as functionality of an LEDindicator(s) of the aerosol delivery device 302, a heating profile ofthe aerosol delivery device 302, an amount of aerosol precursorcomposition that is vaporized per puff, and/or other operatingparameters of the aerosol delivery device 302.

Operation 910 may include the computing device 306 generating a softwareupdate including the selected configuration setting update. Operation920 may include the computing device 306 sending the software update tothe charging accessory device.

FIG. 10 illustrates a flowchart according to an example method that maybe performed by the charging accessory device 304 to update a softwareconfiguration of the aerosol delivery device 302 in accordance with someexample embodiments of the present disclosure. More particularly, FIG.10 illustrates an example method that may be performed by the chargingaccessory device 304 to update the software configuration of the aerosoldelivery device 302 with a software update that may be provided by thecomputing device 306 attendant to performance of the method of FIG. 9.One or more of aerosol delivery device interface 334, communicationinterface 336, processing circuitry 510, processor 512, memory 514, userinterface 516, or communication interface 518 may, for example, providemeans for performing one or more of the operations illustrated in anddescribed with respect to FIG. 10.

Operation 1000 may include the charging accessory device 304 receiving asoftware update from the computing device 306. For example, the receivedsoftware update may be a software update that may be provided by thecomputing device 306 attendant to performance of operation 920 asdescribed above. Operation 1010 may include the charging accessorydevice 304 using the software update to update a software configurationof the aerosol delivery device 302. Update of the software configurationmay include updating a software configuration of any component of theaerosol delivery device 302, including, for example, the controlcomponent 314, a cartridge, and/or other component.

In some example embodiments, a software configuration update may beprovided to the aerosol delivery device 302 by the social networkingservice 310. For example, in some such embodiments, the socialnetworking service 310 may communicate the software configuration updateto the aerosol delivery device 302 via the network 308. Additionally oralternatively, in some example embodiments, a software configurationupdate may be propagated from the social networking service 310 to theaerosol delivery device 302 via one or more intermediate devices, suchas computing device 306 and/or charging accessory device 304. A softwareconfiguration update that may be provided by the social networkingservice 310 may comprise a software update for software that may beimplemented on the aerosol delivery device 302. Additionally oralternatively, a software configuration update that may be provided bythe social networking service 310 may and/or may adjust a configurationof the aerosol delivery device 302, such as by way of example, a heatingprofile configuration, a configuration for operation of one or more LEDsand/or other user interface element(s) that may be implemented on theaerosol delivery device 302, a configuration relating to charging of thebattery 312, a configuration regulating consumption of the battery 312,and/or the like.

In some example embodiments in which the social networking service 310may provide a software configuration update to the aerosol deliverydevice 302, the social networking service 310 may provide an interface,such as may be accessible by the computing device 306 and/or by anothercomputing device over the network 308. The interface may enable a userto adjust one or more configurations of the aerosol delivery device 302.The social networking service 310 may generate a software configurationupdate based on user-selected adjustments and may provide the softwareconfiguration update to the aerosol delivery device 302, either directlyvia network 308 or indirectly via one or more intermediate devices, suchas computing device 306 and/or charging accessory device 304.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the disclosure will come tomind to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains havingthe benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions andthe associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that thedisclosure is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosedherein and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to beincluded within the scope of the appended claims. Although specificterms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptivesense only and not for purposes of limitation.

1. A system for providing interactive services for aerosol deliverydevices, the system comprising: at least a portion of an aerosoldelivery device, comprising: a control component configured to maintainusage data for the aerosol delivery device; and a battery; a computingdevice configured to access a network and communicate with a socialnetworking service comprising a community of aerosol delivery deviceusers; and a charging accessory device, comprising: a housing defining areceptacle configured to receive the at least a portion of the aerosoldelivery device; a power storage device; and a communication interfaceconfigured to enable communication between the charging accessory deviceand the computing device; wherein the charging accessory device isconfigured to: supply power from the power storage device to the batteryto charge the battery; and communicate with the control component toaccess the usage data; and wherein the computing device is furtherconfigured to: receive the usage data from the charging accessorydevice; generate social data based at least in part on the usage data;and send the social data to the social networking service.
 2. The systemof claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured to send thesocial data to the social networking service at least in part by causinga social media update comprising the social data to be published to anaccount associated with a user of the aerosol delivery device.
 3. Thesystem of claim 2, wherein: the usage data comprises a type of aerosolprecursor composition used in the aerosol delivery device; and thesocial media update indicates that the user smoked the type of aerosolprecursor composition.
 4. The system of claim 2, wherein: the usage datacomprises one or more of a number of cartridges used in the aerosoldelivery device over a period of time, a number of puffs taken by theuser over the period of time, a total cumulative puff time over theperiod of time, a number of smoking sessions for which the aerosoldelivery device was used over the period of time, or a duration of oneor more smoking sessions; and the social media update indicates at leastone of the one or more of the number of cartridges used in the aerosoldelivery device over the period of time, the number of puffs taken bythe user over the period of time, the total cumulative puff time overthe period of time, the number of smoking sessions for which the aerosoldelivery device was used over the period of time, or the duration of oneor more smoking sessions.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein thecomputing device is further configured to: determine a location of thecomputing device; and generate the social data to include an indicationof the location.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing deviceis further configured to present an electronic coupon selected based atleast in part on one or more of the usage data or the social data. 7.The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is furtherconfigured to: provide a location of a user of the aerosol deliverydevice to the social networking service; receive an indication from thesocial networking service of one or more aerosol delivery device userslocated within a defined distance of the location of a user of theaerosol delivery device; and display an indication of at least one ofthe one or more aerosol delivery device users with associated locationinformation for each of the at least one of the one or more aerosoldelivery device users.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the computingdevice is further configured to: receive, from the social networkingservice, an indication of an aerosol delivery device user having anaerosol delivery device usage pattern correlating to the social data;and present the aerosol delivery device user having the aerosol deliverydevice usage pattern correlating to the social data as a suggestedcontact on the social networking service.
 9. The system of claim 1,wherein: the computing device is further configured to send a softwareupdate for the aerosol delivery device to the charging accessory device;and the charging accessory device is configured to use the softwareupdate to update a software configuration of the aerosol deliverydevice.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device isfurther configured to: receive an indication of a selected configurationsetting update for the aerosol delivery device; and generate thesoftware update to include the selected configuration setting update.11. The system of claim 1, wherein: the housing further defines a secondreceptacle configured to receive a cartridge; the charging accessorydevice is further configured to determine a level of aerosol precursorcomposition remaining in the cartridge and to provide an indication ofthe level of aerosol precursor composition remaining in the cartridge tothe computing device; and the computing device is further configured todisplay the level of aerosol precursor composition remaining in thecartridge.
 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is amobile computing device.
 13. A charging accessory device, comprising: ahousing defining a receptacle configured to receive at least a portionof an aerosol delivery device comprising a battery; a power storagedevice; a charging interface configured to establish an electricalconnection with the battery and supply electrical power from the powerstorage device to the battery to charge the battery; an aerosol deliverydevice interface configured to enable communication between the chargingaccessory device and a control component of the aerosol delivery device;a communication interface; and processing circuitry configured tocontrol the charging accessory device to at least: access usage data forthe aerosol delivery device via the aerosol delivery device interface;cause, via the communication interface, social data generated based atleast in part on the usage data to be provided to a social networkingservice comprising a community of aerosol delivery device users.
 14. Thecharging accessory device of claim 13, wherein the processing circuitryis configured to control the charging accessory device to cause thesocial data to be provided to the social networking service at least inpart by causing the charging accessory device to provide the usage datato a computing device configured to interface with the social networkingservice.
 15. The charging accessory device of claim 13, wherein theprocessing circuitry is configured to control the charging accessorydevice to cause the social data to be provided to the social networkingservice at least in part by causing the charging accessory device tosend the social data to the social networking service via a network. 16.The charging accessory device of claim 13, wherein the usage datacomprises one or more of a type of aerosol precursor composition used inthe aerosol delivery device, a number of cartridges used in the aerosoldelivery device over a period of time, a number of puffs taken by a userof the aerosol delivery device over the period of time, a totalcumulative puff time over the period of time, a number of smokingsessions for which the aerosol delivery device was used over the periodof time, or a duration of one or more smoking sessions.
 17. The chargingaccessory device of claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry isfurther configured to control the charging accessory device to update asoftware configuration of the aerosol delivery device.
 18. The chargingaccessory device of claim 13, further comprising: an external powerinterface configured to receive power to recharge the power storagedevice when coupled with an external power source.
 19. A method forproviding interactive services for aerosol delivery devices, the methodcomprising a computing device: establishing communication with acharging accessory device for an aerosol delivery device; receivingusage data for the aerosol delivery device provided by the chargingaccessory device; generating social data based at least in part on theusage data; and sending the social data to a social networking servicecomprising a community of aerosol delivery device users.
 20. The methodof claim 19, wherein sending the social data to the social networkingservice comprises causing a social media update comprising the socialdata to be published to an account associated with a user of the aerosoldelivery device.
 21. The method of claim 20, wherein: the usage datacomprises a type of aerosol precursor composition used in the aerosoldelivery device; and the social media update indicates that the usersmoked the type of aerosol precursor composition.
 22. The method ofclaim 20, wherein: the usage data comprises one or more of a number ofcartridges used in the aerosol delivery device over a period of time, anumber of puffs taken by the user over the period of time, a totalcumulative puff time over the period of time, a number of smokingsessions for which the aerosol delivery device was used over the periodof time, or a duration of one or more smoking sessions; and the socialmedia update indicates at least one of the one or more of the number ofcartridges used in the aerosol delivery device over the period of time,the number of puffs taken by the user over the period of time, the totalcumulative puff time over the period of time, the number of smokingsessions for which the aerosol delivery device was used over the periodof time, or the duration of one or more smoking sessions.
 23. The methodof claim 19, further comprising the computing device: determining alocation of the computing device; and generating the social data toinclude an indication of the location.
 24. The method of claim 19,further comprising the computing device: receiving an electronic couponfrom the social networking service, the electronic coupon being selectedbased at least in part on the social data; and presenting the electroniccoupon to a user of the computing device.
 25. The method of claim 19,further comprising the computing device: providing a location of a userof the aerosol delivery device to the social networking service;receiving an indication from the social networking service of one ormore aerosol delivery device users located within a defined distance ofthe location of a user of the aerosol delivery device; and displaying anindication of at least one of the one or more aerosol delivery deviceusers with associated location information for each of the at least oneof the one or more aerosol delivery device users.
 26. The method ofclaim 19, further comprising the computing device: receiving, from thesocial networking service, an indication of an aerosol delivery deviceuser having an aerosol delivery device usage pattern correlating to thesocial data; and presenting the aerosol delivery device user having theaerosol delivery device usage pattern correlating to the social data asa suggested contact on the social networking service.
 27. The method ofclaim 19, wherein the computing device is a mobile computing device.